SOUTH AFRICA
Francois van der Merwe, chair of the Tobacco Institute of South Africa (TISA), has defended the institute’s tobacco company members, saying none of its members have ever fallen foul of their tax obligations in South Africa.
“This is between taxpayer and tax collector. TISA represents the legal industry in South Africa, all members are accredited and no member has ever been found to be non-compliant with any law in South Africa,” said Van der Merwe.
Van der Merwe’s defense came after a Sunday Times article reported that the South African Revenue Service (SARS) was pursuing British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) for unpaid taxes.
BATSA had pushed back against the allegations, saying that it was in fact SARS that owed the company SAR30 million in tax refunds.